Brandy: The glaring issue with the Bulldogs roster

Pressure is mounting on the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs after three straight losses which has left coach Cameron Ciraldo scrambling for answers.

The Bulldogs entered the 2026 season as a genuine Premiership hope and won their first two games of the season. However, the Dogs now sit 12th on the ladder with a 3-5 record.

Additionally, the Bulldogs have the second worst attack in the competition (145 points scored) only behind the winless Dragons (114).

SEN’s Greg Alexander has raised significant concerns around the make-up of the roster and suggests there are too many utility players over quality spine members.

“The Dogs have won one out of their last six games heading into Round 10,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Why did they beat the Panthers? They got up for the best team in the competition and kept it simple.

“They went back to what they know, which is defensive pressure. If they didn’t do that, they knew the Panthers would put a broom through them.

“There are too many moveable parts, meaning there are too many utilities.

“You remember when they signed all these utility players and now they are using them all.

“Jaeman Salmon, Kurt Mann, Bailey Hayward who they are now trying to turn into a hooker.”

“They’ve got a big game on Thursday against the Dolphins to kick off the round,” SEN’s Jimmy Smith added.

“The back from the Dolphins is Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Jamayne Isaako, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Bostock made a stunning return last week and then Selwyn Cobbo.

“All five of those players would walk into the Bulldogs side.

“With all due respect to (Bulldogs fullback) Connor Tracey, Trai Fuller is a more attacking player and more suited to the modern game than Tracey.”

The Bulldogs sat at the top of the table after Round 16 last season with a 11-2 record. The Dogs then made the controversial decision to demote halfback Toby Sexton and move on hooker Reed Mahoney in favour of young recruit Lachlan Galvin and Hayward.

Ciraldo’s men won five of their last 11 matches to fall to third and were eliminated from the finals series in a straight sets exit.

Ciraldo has selected four different spine combinations which has Smith and Alexander believing that the Bulldogs head coach is unsure what his best line up looks like.

“We don’t know the levers that Cameron Ciraldo can pull,” Smith continued.

“What can he do? Where did they get to the point where Hayward is their only hooker option?

Alexander replied: “I don’t know. Winning games kept everything at bay (last year) but one from six now has questions and there aren’t many answers.

“Galvin is playing halfback but he’s effectively just playing five-eighth on the right side.

“They have too many of those ‘service’ type players and Hayward does this and he’s been turned into their hooker. That hasn’t been working.

“Would other clubs, if those players were available, be rushing to sign them?”